DNC Thursday liveblog

by: Scott Weingart

Thu Aug 28, 2008 at 06:06:34 PM EDT

5:03 PM MT: John Lewis concludes his speech. A good friend suggests that Lewis should have been in prime time; I agree.

4:58 PM MT: Here's John Lewis, whose speech would be important enough if Barack Obama weren't accepting the Democratic nomination. The blogger lounge just got really quiet. CNN and MSNBC are showing the speech, FOX is not. If you're not watching, turn on the TV now.

4:54 PM MT: John Lewis should be next. Shame on the networks if they don't show his speech on this day which marks exactly 45 years since Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.

4:46 PM MT: Howard Dean speaks...14 minutes ahead of schedule.

4:41 PM MT: The Colorado Democratic Congressional delegation delivers their speeches. First goes Ed Perlmutter, then Diana DeGette.

4:26 PM MT: Here's CO Gov. Bill Ritter. He immediately pushes this convention's prevailing message against McCain-tying him to President Bush. Ritter has a nice speech, but he killed his voice, probably from shouting too much.

4:20 PM MT: The stadium about 3 and a half hours before Obama's speech:

4:19 PM MT: The end zones are half full at every levels. Most of the sections behind the stage are understandably empty, except in the upper deck, which is pretty full about eight to ten rows deep. The first and second decks in front of the stage, to the best that I can see (they are right underneath us), are nearly full, except for certain sections which are totally empty.

4:11 PM MT: Jennifer Hudson belts out the national anthem. An impressive performance.

4:08 PM MT: Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson recites the pledge of allegiance.

It's just after 4:00 PM Mountain time under bright, cloudless skies here at Invesco Field in Denver Colorado, and Nancy Pelosi has called the convention to order!